Comments on: As Gulf Oil Gushes, Obama Increases Fuel Economy Standardshttp://www.hybridcars.com/obama-oil-spill-higher-fuel-economy-27978/
Auto alternatives for the 21st centuryMon, 03 Dec 2012 19:24:39 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.2By: additives lubricants markethttp://www.hybridcars.com/obama-oil-spill-higher-fuel-economy-27978/#comment-25558
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:39:17 +0000http://127.0.0.1/wordpress12/?p=7021#comment-25558This is very great article…
]]>By: Kevin Bradyhttp://www.hybridcars.com/obama-oil-spill-higher-fuel-economy-27978/#comment-25557
Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:04:31 +0000http://127.0.0.1/wordpress12/?p=7021#comment-25557i like the idea of raising the tax on gasoline in this country. we still have the cheapest oil in the world don’t we? I live in NJ, which doesn’t tax the gas very heavily at all. I’m doing a decent job on my car selection, but there’s not very good choices out there even still – 13 years after the Prius was introduce and how the heck long after GM’s first EV was introduced?

samie has some good points though. i don’t know what the solution is, but for now, unfortunately, it’s on us to get those around us to make better decisions, and keep pressing for better choices from the companies!

]]>By: FamilyGuyhttp://www.hybridcars.com/obama-oil-spill-higher-fuel-economy-27978/#comment-25556
Tue, 25 May 2010 23:29:04 +0000http://127.0.0.1/wordpress12/?p=7021#comment-25556I like the idea of increasing the tax on the cost of fuel. The government needs the money to repair the roads and bridges across the country. Those who are driving gas hogs that don’t really need to drive gas hogs will consider changing. Keep driving the gas hog and help pay for road repairs. The high cost of gas can drive the consumer demand for alternative forms of fuel. Probably too simple to be practical.
]]>By: Samiehttp://www.hybridcars.com/obama-oil-spill-higher-fuel-economy-27978/#comment-25555
Tue, 25 May 2010 19:39:11 +0000http://127.0.0.1/wordpress12/?p=7021#comment-25555I think the gasoline tax vs. CAFE policy debate is somewhat distorted by shielding the petroleum industry from passing on higher costs to consumers which can in turn (on a mass scale) determine the types of vehicles we buy.

I ask why not let the oil industry self-regulate themselves and the government act only as a policing agency? We could open up all offshore drilling 50 miles or more. BUT unlike now, the industry would not be able to pass on safety or environmental costs onto government, ie taxpayers. You could also reduce the wasted money spent on incompetent regulators and influence from special interests. This means reduced government compliance costs but at the same time unlimited liability for the industry. If someone like BP fails to fully add safety costs into their final products, they could face the real threat of becoming insolvent and the industry as a whole could be liable for one of its group member’s poor decisions. Direct costs, hidden costs, and long-term costs would be factored into the price of domestic petroleum instead of passing it onto the federal government. Government would also stop subsidizing the petroleum industry ie. tax breaks and charge them diplomacy and military protection fees. Unfortunately, if we continue to find ways to keep hidden costs hidden, for the sake of laziness and fake political ideologies, our adoption to say long-term hydrogen, or near-term electric vehicles will be slow, including technological advances. Poor regulations, politicking, and short-term schemes (with locked distribution) will continue reduce the effectiveness of a higher gasoline tax or newer CAFE standards.

]]>By: Charleshttp://www.hybridcars.com/obama-oil-spill-higher-fuel-economy-27978/#comment-25554
Tue, 25 May 2010 12:17:10 +0000http://127.0.0.1/wordpress12/?p=7021#comment-25554Nah, don’t return the fuel tax. Spend it on infrastructure, considering we’re about a trillion dollars behind on keeping our roads in good repair.
]]>By: ex-EV1 driverhttp://www.hybridcars.com/obama-oil-spill-higher-fuel-economy-27978/#comment-25553
Tue, 25 May 2010 11:28:33 +0000http://127.0.0.1/wordpress12/?p=7021#comment-25553AP,
– raise the fuel tax –
Laudable goal but political suicide. I still hold that the solution is to develop and sell EVs at whatever price you can, in the market that bears the price (luxury if necessary) until mass production can bring the prices down. Once cars are on the road, they will sell themselves.
I’m just hoping that Nissan and GM don’t dumb the Leaf and Volt down to where they are of no use to mainstream drivers.
]]>By: APhttp://www.hybridcars.com/obama-oil-spill-higher-fuel-economy-27978/#comment-25552
Tue, 25 May 2010 10:49:03 +0000http://127.0.0.1/wordpress12/?p=7021#comment-25552Right goal, wrong tactic.

Increasing fuel economy requirements, while fuel is cheap, pits customers’ wants (a low-priced car) against government goals. The only way to (somewhat) even things out then is government incentives (which we can’t afford) for the more expensive vehicles.

CAFE promised to reduce fuel consumption, which it has not. It has not reduced our oil imports; people simply moved from cars to trucks (creating the SUV market).

While fuel is cheap, increasing CAFE requirements will only reduce the purchase of new, fuel-efficient cars, and the number of miles driven (by both old and new cars) will remain high.

Let’s be done with it, raise the fuel tax, divide the revenue evenly, and return the it on income tax returns. That will promote the new technologies, and reduce government spending.